A Line Mechanic raises concerns about the serviceability of the 3-point vendor-repaired passenger restraint type seat belts used on their Dassault 2000 aircraft. A re-webbed seat belt buckle; tagged as serviceable; had fallen apart due to missing parts.
Synopsis
A Line Mechanic raises concerns about the serviceability of the 3-point vendor-repaired passenger restraint type seat belts used on their Dassault 2000 aircraft. A re-webbed seat belt buckle; tagged as serviceable; had fallen apart due to missing parts.
Narrative
While assigned to work a Dassault Falcon 2000 aircraft; I was assisted by Lead Mechanic X to clear a passenger seat belt MEL. Found seat lap belt buckle had fallen apart; with items missing. Called vendor who [had] repaired belt and installed their own Parts Tag with their own Part Number (P/N); [we were] trying to see if we could get a replacement. Date and Work Order Number (WO #) from late last year were of no help. Failed part was given to Part 145 [Repair Station] Chief Inspector. Inoperative seat belt was discovered by company flight crew and put on the MEL. This item was recently reworked and installed per the data tag. Is this vendor being audited? It seems when they rework our belts; they assign their own Part Number that is not in our system; the original parts tag of the Manufacturer is removed. In light of the failure of this safety device so soon after rework and the fact that parts seem to be missing; causing the device to fall apart; seems to indicate that the vendor could use some quality oversight.
NASA callback
Reporter stated most of their Falcon 2000 aircraft have a 3-point passenger restraint seat belt assembly. That assembly includes a belt that comes across the shoulder and chest and attaches to one of the two lap belt seat attach points. There is an inertia reel in the seatback. The 3-point restraint is used due to the amount of open space around each passenger compared to FAR 121 commercial Air Carrier passenger seat arrangements. Reporter stated the issue with the different Part Numbers (P/N) makes identifying a specific seat belt replacement difficult; especially since the some of the belts require special plating on the seat buckles to satisfy company policy and marketing. Reporter stated the Technical Service Order (TSO) label is sewn into the belt. The cause of the buckles falling apart has not been resolved yet; but the repair vendor does reuse the same buckle assembly after re-webbing new belt material into the buckles. The vendor's Quality Assurance seems to have a problem. He does not know if other operators who are supplied by the same vendor have similar seat belt buckles coming apart.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.